Fruit picker&#39;s stilt



Patented Apr. 25, 1933 UNITED TATE-S.

a f' enneomr Lane,- OFYUBA crry, canrronnm.

V IT I RS s'rrni i Application E te? This invention relates tostilts, andjparticularly to a type designed especially for the use of fruit pickers, pruners, andfother orchard workers,to take the place of the 5 ladders such as are now commonly employed in connection with the abovefoper'ations.

The ladders of course must be frequently moved from one point toanother, eveniwhen working on any one tree, and the accom- 1 panying cessation of picking or other operations during such movements, consumes considerable time in the aggregate and cuts down the output-ofthe individual workers to an appreciable extentg 15 The principal object ofmy invention is I to provide stilts for the workers so constructed that they are practically self-bah ancing, and so that the movements jof the individual are facilitatedfand he can thus devote hisentire attentionto'fruit picking or other operations rather than to' balancing himself, as is necessary with the ordinary stilts. The stilts are also constructed so that walking is comparatively easy, the

movements are not accompanied by jars or shock to the person as is usually thel' ca s e,' and the stilts do not tendto sink down in the loose ground around the trees as would the ordinary stilts.

A further object of'the' invention is to provide a means, for securing the feet and legs of the workersto the stilts in such a manner that the stilts are retained in proper vertical and longitudinal alinement regardless of any irregularities in the shape or alinement of the legs or feet of the wearer, thus enabling him to stand normally without any tiring strain being imparted to his limbs. V I

A further object of the invention'is to pro duce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means" of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims;

In the drawing similar characters of ref-' erence indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

1930. Serial no.451,555; H

Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview of'a stilt as strapped to a leg. 1 Fig. 2 is an enlargedfragmentary cross section of the upper portion of a stiltx; l Referring now more particularly" to the characters of referenceonthe drawing, the numeral 1 denotes a platform for afoot of the wearer, from the ends" of which a-pair of diverging legsQdependthe desired distance and of course of the stilt. a a V A ground supportingrbar 13 extends between and is secured tothe lower ends of the legs, this bar being preferably inthe form of a rocker whose cent'er'of curvature is adjacent the platform. The rocker" is pref; erably resilient so that i' t may yield vertical ly, and is'faced on" the-b0ttom with-a replaceable strip 4 of leather, rubber, "o1- other material so as to takelthe wear rrom'the rocker "itself. The latter may therefore be made of relatively'cheap material without danger'of its wearingout quickly. j

The platform adjacent itsrear end is provided with a fixedheel-engagingfseat' or cradle 5, saidjcradle having a v-strap (3 to pass over the front of the boot of; the wearer adjacent its junction With-tile leg portion, as shown in Fig. 1.. Mountedon'the platform toward thefront of the' same are opposed laterally adjustable lugs or stops 7. Theseare adapted to engage'the'sole of. the booton opposite sides'and toward the'toe. and have straps 8 associated therewith to pass over. theboot adjacent the'toe. 'By' means of the above construction the boot is i secured to the platform against vertical play, and the-platforms of the twostilts and-con: sequently the stilts as-a whole are retained I substantially parallel to each other regarcL less of any in or out turning of the feet of the wearer. Secured, to and extending be j tween the legs of the same a distance below the platformis" a cross-bar 9 to whichare b individually and. pivotally secured, for individual longitudinal adjust-nient,-"the. lowerends of-the legbraces 10; These braces; ea

tend upwardly past the sidesfof the platform and'thence alongside the leg. of the wearer to terminations adjacent 'the" plane governing the height 0 p ea H I 15 of leg movement, without moving the stilts,

o'fthe'knee.- Adjacenttheir upper ends saidbraces slidably support'a leg engaging bandtll of leather or the like, which is adapted to be strapped. about the legjust below-th knee. Where the braces extend as When operating on trees withthe stilts more or less firmly-set in the soft ground. Ifsuch playof the leg 'braces is not desired, the space between-the straps and bracesmay I e be filled {with bck o rubberdrthe l 'By"means of this arrangement not only mayv the braces be shifted along the platform While retaining them in a'vertical position but by, adjustingeither the botton'i{or the 1 efi' intermediate connections of the" braces with the stilt parts,' they may be angledone way or the other relativetoad-vertical'jplane, as

ticula r alinement of his'ylegs} may require. I Also vby initially removing thebraces, shims as at 13 may be placedbetweenthe braces;-

the convenience Of'the wearer and the parand the platform and bar 9 in opposed alternatin -J elation," as shown in EiglQ. The

braces may thus be disposed atfa' transverse angle to a vertical plane. and to the legs 2, ifthe'legs of the wearer are bowed Ior otherwisej out of plumb so that the braces willex i tend'parallel to hisZlegs-without straining 'the latter' or without causing the stilts to be 7 p40, 7 V V out ofplumb.'- -v j Theprovision of the rocker formiof. sup port for the stilts not only "gives thesame a relatively'large groundbearing area-so that theyywill not sink so readilyyintojsoft ground, but enables-the wearer toleasily re- "t-ain hisbalance by suitable foot pressure and; to walk or advance himself with a smooth "rolling action of the stilts rfather" of the device,.still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from 'the, spirit of the invention, as defined .bythe appended claims. 7

Having thus described invention what j I claim as newand useful desire to se- V mi e bylL t ts' ea V 1. A stilt comprising fa vertical frame toppedby a foot plate, the frame including ma;cr0ss bar ;below.the'foot plate andsub,l

stantially paralleltherewit-h, a pair ofseparate leg braces one pivoted ,on each side of the cross barv and extending upwardly along 80 I the side ojf and above-the foot plate, a, leg

. strap connecting theleg braces 7 above the foot plate, a bracket on'each side of the foot plate extendin around one of the leg braces, the brackets heing relatively longer than the iwidth. ofzthebraces lto allow the leg racesw mkta their pivot points 'on' the" crossjbarfwitha slight i'ore, and aft move: f 7 ment relativeto the frame' and foot plates. A stiltlcomprising a vertical frame topped, foot plate, the frame including-. V

a cross baribelow the foot plate ,andfSllb-L 'stantially parallel therewith, a'p'air of sepa-" rate leg braces nefpivoteden each side of] 7 7 the cross bar and extending'upwardly along the sideot and above the foot plate, a leg bracket on eachfside of the" footplate extending aroundjone offthe'i leg fbraces, the

brackets being relatively longer than the width'ofthe braces-to allow the leg braces to rock on their pivot points on'the cross bar with a slight fore and aft movement rela-- ave to the frame and foot plates, andremovablegblocks {for insertion between a bracketand foot platefjon one side of the stilt and between. the lower en'clof the op-l posite brace and its adjacent, cross bar, I

.v whereby the braces may be laterally adj ust ed at an angle tothej vertical ELXlS OI E the 3 frame 7 V In testimony whereof I a'ifii; my signature; ,G GQRY G-1 thana stiff jerky one, andwith out the necessity ofthe feet being raisedto any-great exbraces the movements of the stilts when op erat ng over rough ground, are controlled Q from the legs of the wearer instead oth is.

feet, and no strains areplac'ed on'fthe latter.

The resilient nature ofthe rockers provides l a, cushioning support'for the wearer, without interfering withthe rolling or rocking Y movement of the stilts when walking.

From the foregoing description itewill be ,yr eadily seenLthat-I;have, pro'chiced 'such ia 1 device as substantially ,tu'lfills the objects of theinvention asset forth herein. V. i j v i While; this specification sets forth; in de' I I v I t lit p esent and preferre c st u i tent. Also on account ot'theuseofthelleg"w 

